Prisoner: Warden gave a rope and said, ‘Hang yourself’

* Photo: Ayça Söylemez - Silivri Campus / bianet

Click to read the article in Turkish

A press conference was held at the İstanbul Branch office of the Human Rights Association (İHD) with the participation of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Züleyha Gülüm and prisoners' families.

Yesterday's conference (April 12) was about the torture and ill treatment at Silivri No. 5 Prison in İstanbul and the death of two prisoners. The İHD called on the Justice Ministry and all authorities to take measures to protect prisoners' rights and share the truth transparently.

CLICK - 'Prisoners attempted to commit suicide following wardens' torture in Silivri Prison'

Prisoners' families waiting for an answer

After it was reported in the press that prisoners attempted to commit suicide together at Silivri No. 5 Prison and they were hospitalized in Silivri State Hospital, the Directorate General of Prisons and Detention Houses released a statement on April 9 and denied the allegations.

The İHD said, "However, what a prisoner told his family during their phone call and the deceased body of a prisoner, Serhan Yılmaz, who died yesterday being delivered to his family by being prepared without showing him to his family indicate that the truth is more grave than alleged."

According to the relative of a prisoner, the İHD noted, "after the incident of death was heard, the relatives of prisoners come in front of the prison and await an answer to their petitions to learn about their relatives."

'Beard plucked, head trampled upon'

The İstanbul Branch of the İHD shared the following information:

"During a phone call, the prisoner told his family that he could hardly make the phone call; he would be unable to make it again if it was cut and he wanted the meeting to be put in the records.

"The prisoner said that they were fasting during the count on April 6 and the officials who counted them slapped and insulted one of their friends for no reason; after they protested, other prisoners were also battered; as he had a seizure due to his illness, he was taken outside to the yard; he was subjected to torture and insult in the yard as well and taken back to the ward.

"He indicated that they were taken outside in the yard again under the pretext of a count and they were battered there, with their beard plucked; he was taken to the 'padded room' afterwards and his head was trampled upon by boots; they were constantly subjected to torture and forced to commit suicide; though they did not make any physical intervention against officials, they were faced with attempted accusations based on false reports.

"He said that when they were taken to the doctor, they were forced to make a statement of 'There is no battery'; he was taken to the yard and battered again yesterday; he was given a rope and told, 'Hang yourself, kill yourself'; when he tried to do it, they saved him 'for appareance sake'.

"The prisoner stated that they decided to kill themselves due to this atrocity; they would commit suicide and 5-6 people including C.A., T.O., O.H., H.M., A. and A.M.Ç. are in the same situation; they were made to lie in dirt, there are no beds and 70 people stay in a 50-person place."

'Dismiss the wardens and prison administration'

Against the backdrop of these accounts, the İHD İstanbul Branch made a call to the Ministry of Justice, briefly saying:

"First of all, stop the torture and ill treatment of prisoners and improve their living conditions.

"In order to uncover the truth about this incident and to ensure that the culprits are penalized, remove the prison officials involved in the incident and the prison administration who overlooked it from office as soon as possible and investigate them both penally and administratively.

"In the process of uncovering the incident, ensure that civilian investigation delegations meet the prisoners and share the truth with the people in its all transparency." (AS/SD)